Gluten free recipes for cupcakes, pancakes, pizza, desserts and more.

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These GLUTEN FREE MACADAMIA WHITE CHOCOLATE COOKIES are irresistible and delicious. After the photo shoot, we had a few, and then some more. The taste lingered in our mouths and we finally had to wash it down with lemonade and some sugarless coffee. That’s how amazing these cookies are! These cookies, in fact, are my friend Daniela’s favorite, and even though she didn’t request them gluten free, I couldn’t resist the challenge (I can actually taste them if gluten free!).

My friend Daniela was moving this week and she found herself in a sea of boxes with her brand new closets unfinished. In fact, there were many other unfinished items at her new dwellings – including a missing stove top and a kitchen sink. Her plan is to have morning smoothies and salad takeout for the next five days…and now cookies. Yay!

These cookies have all the nice crunch of the macadamia nuts and the white chocolate chips, but they are soft and chewy as they never truly flattened while they were baking. They looked kind of funny at first, but once we bit into them, we loved them all the same. The major TRICK here is to mix the nuts and the chocolate chips in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch right before they get folded into the cookie dough. You can also use powdered sugar if you have that handy. This way, the chocolate is “protected”and it doesn’t melt, and the nuts hold their weight atop, never falling (and burning) to the bottom of the cookie.

Happy move, Dani!

Don’t miss the beat with this super easy Macadamia White Chocolate Cookies that are gluten free and delicious.

Preheat the oven at 325 degrees. In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and slowly add both sugars. In a large bowl, mix well the gluten free all purpose flour, the xantham gum, the salt, and the baking soda. Add half of the dry ingredients mix into the butter and sugar mix, beating at a low to medium speed. Then, add the egg, and slowly again finish adding all your dry ingredients. The dough will be thick and sticky.

In another bowl, mix the macadamia nuts with the white chocolate chips, and add the corn starch. Mix well. The cornstarch will help the chocolate and the nuts not to drop to the bottom of the cookie, once in the oven. When you are ready, fold these into the cookie dough batter, and mix well with a rubber spatula.

The dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and make tiny balls (around 1 inch) with the cookie dough (wet your hands if it’s still too sticky!). Make sure you don’t crowd them on the sheet.

Once in the oven, the cookies will be done in 10-15 minutes. You can remove them once a light golden color appears. Let them rest on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, and then move them onto a cooling rack.

Gluten free chocolate glazed donuts that are also delicious and happen to be Paleo, too? Hello. Yes. I’ve been craving something sweet and indulgent to have with my Nespresso macchiato during weekend afternoons, and donuts came to mind. Could there be a donut out there made with no grains, no gluten and also able to satisfy my “bad treat” cravings? Maybe. I think these hit the spot!

These donuts are not fried, but baked. Plus, for all of us health nuts and enthusiasts out there, the main ingredient is almond flour (a friendly nut!)- not even a pinch of rice, potato, or tapioca. So it’s 100% paleo, and I’m okay with that! (And fewer ingredients make me VERY happy.)

Ingredients:

For the donuts (makes around 8 in a medium-size donut pan)

2½ cups almond flour (I’m liking Honeyville)

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

6 tbsp maple syrup

¼ cup coconut oil

1 tbsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon juice

3 large eggs at room temperature

For the chocolate glaze:

1/4 melted coconut oil

2 oz vegan chocolate chips

1 tsp Stevia

Sprinkles are not paleo! (But I couldn’t help myself for the pictures. Oops.)

Directions:

Ready? This is my favorite part. Pour all ingredients in your blender, and mix them well, until the batter looks airy.

Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees, then grease a donut pan. Pour the batter almost (but not really) to the rim, being careful not to cover the opening for the whole. Then hit the pan down against the countertop to release any air bubbles and make sure the donuts rise evenly and beautifully.

Once you have the donuts baking, prepare the glaze. Put the chocolate chips in a microwaveable-safe dish, add the coconut oil and the Stevia, and microwave for 2 minutes at 40% power. Once done, remove from the microwave and give it a good stir.

The donuts will bake for 10-12 minutes depending on your oven. After you are done, remove from the oven, and let them cool for five minutes before placing them on a cooling rack. Once the donuts are completely cold to the touch, glaze them and wait around 10 minutes for the glaze to set.

For this recipe, I used (click on the images to find out more information and consumer reviews on Amazon.com):

These Beauty Detox: Vegan and Gluten Free Wraps take the cake! Ok – maybe not the real cake as we are “detoxing” and trying to be good about what we eat. But they take something! The first few bites taste like a healthy falafel, and once we added my ultra secret pineapple sauce, we decided it tasted like a real, fresh meaty taco. All and all, you just can’t go wrong. Plus, it’s all raw so you can “cook” this in under ten minutes.

This is a great mid-week, feel good meal you can have right after the gym. The walnuts add a fabulous texture and a crunch that carry the plethora of spices that go into this taco mix. With just a few spoonfuls of salsa, or sprouts, and the generosity of a fresh collard green to hug everything tight and neatly, you are set for a pretty tasty dinner (or lunch), as you pack tons and tons of good nutrition back into your body. And it’s summer, so who wants to spend that much time over a hot stove anyway!?

This is my first (ever) recipe with collard greens! Before embarking into my beauty detox journey, collard greens were the weird looking steamy vegetable next to the fried chicken. Which is a shame, as apparently most of the latest news has labeled this Southern staple as one of the world’s healthiest foods. Collard greens deliver more than a dozen nutrients and vitamins, plus:

In a food processor chop the walnuts first, then add the rest of the ingredients as follows: cumin, coriander, tamari, chili powder. Pulse a few times. You definitely want a chunky consistency. Then, chop the stem out of each collard green, place tomatoes, sprouts and the walnut mix. You can put here your choice of salsa, guacamole or sauce. Then, follow the picture below to fold it! Then cut it in half and impress everyone!

It’s Monday! Pack extra energy today with these amazing ALMOND HEALTHY BITES. Do I love them just because they are non-bake, easy to make, gluten free, vegan, and also Paleo? Oh no, not just because of THAT. I love them because they are delicious with a salty and sweet satisfying combination – and at only 55 CALORIES a pop. What are you waiting for?

This recipe calls for tahini, which you can easily find at the peanut butter and honey section of Whole Foods. Did you know tahini is actually made of sesame seeds? I didn’t! As I also didn’t know the following cool health benefits of tahini.

5 Really Cool Health Benefits of Tahini

It’s rich in minerals such as phosphorus, lecithin, magnesium, potassium and iron.

Packed with calcium, vitamin E and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B15.

Helps to maintain healthy skin and muscle tone.

It has 20% complete protein, making it a higher protein source than most nuts.

It’s easy for your body to digest because of its high alkaline mineral content, which is great for assisting in weight loss.

Ta-dah. These ALMOND HEALTHY BITES are not only tasty, but packed with good stuff. And who doesn’t want good stuff on a Monday?

12 pitted dates (soak them in warm water 30 minutes before getting started)

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/3 cup tahini

a pinch of sea salt to taste

1 tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon raw coconut nectar (you can replace with maple syrup)

1/4 cup sesame seeds

Directions:

In a food processor, chopped the almonds (they should look gritty, but not pasty or too fine). Add the rest of the ingredients (minus the sesame seeds), and mix well.

With a tablespoon, carefully lift some of the sticky mixture, and make a ball with the palms of your hands, then roll into the 1/4 cup of sesame seeds until totally coated. Set aside.

Refrigerate for up to 4 hours for best taste and consistency (I do eat all the food processor bowl goodness and it’s great, but nothing tastes like the actually bite right out of the refrigerator).They are great to pack for lunch or when you are out and around. And now one of my new favorite treats!

Did you know buckwheat is Dr. Perricone’s No. 5 superfood? Many people think of buckwheat as a grain, but it’s not, and it surpasses rice and wheat and corn in terms of nutrition and low glycemic index.

The roasted buckwheat, or kasha, is dark brown and with a nutty flavor, and you can find it in the flour/baking section of your health store or supermarket.

My first attempt with buckwheat failed – strawberry muffins. Though the muffins looked great, the consistency was very gritty. No seconds for me there!

But I gave it another shot after I continued reading and learned that buckwheat packs a lot of protein with relatively low calories. And: 1) its proteins and the relative proportions of its amino acids make buckwheat the best cholesterol lowering food studied to-date; 2)buckwheat reduces and stabilizes blood sugar levels following meals – key in preventing obesity and diabetes.

As it was Sunday, and I was feeling the call of the waffle/pancake monster, I decided to put my wonderful new find to the test.

These Buckwheat and Coconut Nectar pancakes are really filling, and the combination of both flavors in every bite is more than satisfying! You can replace coconut milk and coconut nectar for almond milk and maple syrup, but there’s something super special about the original recipe. Give it a shot!

If you have it handy, I would also try Nutella as a topping, or PB2 and jam. Delish.

Use a sifter for all the dry ingredients; combine in a bowl. In another bowl mix all the wet ingredients, inclusive of the flaxseed and the water. Add to dry ingredients and mix well till smooth. If the batter is not smooth, add a little bit more water. It should be denser than normal pancakes.

In a large pan on medium heat, use coconut oil or PAM and lightly coat it. Cook each pancake around 2 minutes on each side. Do not pile up after cooked or they will get soggy. Enjoy alone or with your favorite toppings!

Paleo Banana Pancakes is one of my favorite posts here. The recipe has all the goodness of a sweet and indulgent breakfast packed in into just half a banana and one egg per serving. And 9 grams of protein per serving.

PLUS, the pancakes are gluten free and paleo…and could be almost vegan if you dare replace the single lonely egg for Egg Replacer (on my bucket list).

This little chocolaty variation is the new and improved way to make them. I just got a purple immersion blender and is my new best friend. Batter to batter, you can’t even tell if this one is gluten free or paleo or “normal.”

With everything in one single container (minus the salt), use an immersion blender until frothy. If you don’t have an immersion blender, grab a fork, mash the banana, and then beat the rest of the ingredients (skip the chocolate chips).

In a medium pan at medium to low heat, cook SMALL silver dollar pancakes (small is key as these are a little bit tougher to flip versus other ones). Watch them like a hawk – they can burn in extra 3 seconds. Start with the heat at low and build from there. Around 2 minutes for the first side and 20 seconds for the other side.

Serve with maple syrup, coconut nectar, skinny coconut cream frosting, or solo. Add the pinch of Kosher salt at the very end…it really does the trick!

The book boasts 60 recipes created specifically for Crave Bakery, San Francisco’s first gluten-free bakery. The bakery has been open for 10 years, and Cameo candidly relates the very beginnings of her business, as well as her own journey of discovery of Celiac Disease. I’m extremely proud of having been selected to do this review! As well as excited for Cameo’s sweet (and gluten free) successes. (Cameo – my favorite part is when you talk about having cojones! Indeed!)

This is a great starter book if you are new to the gluten free world – Cameo does a great job developing the How to Get Started Section. Once you discover you are gluten intolerant, I think one of the steepest learning curves is the getting acquainted with gluten free ingredients. Almond flour? Tapioca flour? Potato Starch? The book discusses all ingredients in depth, and also provides suggestions on where to buy them. (I’m sure I have not been the only one here lost in Whole Foods for more than 30 minutes in search of Xanthan Gum.) And with the tarts and exquisite frostings, this is also a great book for when you feel a little bit more daring and use a candy thermometer!

All her recipes are very accessible to us, the common folk. For example, the book lists the weight of each ingredient, but also the cup or teaspoon equivalent. This is also the book that taught me that I needed wet hands to work with pizza dough if it was gluten free! Who knew. So for all the mini yet extremely important technical details… THANK YOU.

Ok, now back to business. The book’s recipes are organized against difficulty level- from vanilla cakes to pink velvet, and apricot frangipane tart. Some of the most tempting ones have been: Mama Z’s Chocolate Cake (book cover), Pink Velvet Cake and the Monster Cookie. I don’t think you can go wrong trying out any of her cupcakes, muffins and tarts. I am planning to bake one every Sunday and surprise my sweet-tooth boyfriend (who does not need to eat gluten free, but patiently waited by the mixer to lick the attachment).

The cupcakes are spongy and sweet, and the toasted coconut adds an extra layer of unexpected flavor that goes great with the strong flavor of the dark chocolate frosting.

Yum.

I can’t wait to have dinner today so I can have another one for dessert! All and all, a great book. You will use it regularly and amaze yourself at the bakery quality goods coming out of your kitchen. And, the recipes can fool anyone who eats with gluten (case in point: boyfriend – not only did he lick both mixer attachments, but he gulped a full one in one bite. He was pleased!).

A few days ago, Glutino kindly sent over their Chocolate Chip Cookie and Cake Mix. (Thank you guys!).

I pondered about this mix for a while. I knew the cookies were going to be delicious but I was also looking for a brunch recipe for my Saturday post. The dilemma!

And then it came to me – Gluten Free Cookie Dough Waffles.

In the year of the cronut (half croissant, half donut), the inside out Reese Peanut Butter cup and the hundreds of Oreo, and Almond Joy bar hacks…what was there to lose in trying to merge two of my first American food crushes (cookie dough and waffles) into one delicious and whimsical weekend brunch?

…right.

Nothing.

These were so good, that it took all of my will power to resist them as I was taking the pictures this morning.

The waffles are vegan and lactose free (on top of crispy and delicious), and depending how you prepare the Glutino Chocolate Chip and Cake Mix, you might be able to get away with a full vegan breakfast. Just let me know how it works out. The cookie dough added an extra crumbliness in certain spots of the waffle, and I found myself digging for the cookie part! This mix worked great because it was a great shortcut to an otherwise 2x work recipe. For an even faster result, you can try the cookie mix coupled with Glutino Pancake and Waffle Mix.

Note that the baking mix from Glutino is GMO-free! Glutino is a strong advocate of the non-GMO movement, supporting Proposition 37 in California and the Non_GMO Labeling Act in Washington. For more on the Non-GMO Movement click here.

Note: I was not paid or compensated for this feature. I was provided with free product to spread the gluten free love; however, I was not required to write a positive feature in exchange.

This is a quick and easy sweet snack you can even take on the go. The truffles are sweetened with dates and bananas, and they are under 65 calories per little truffle. They are naturally gluten free, and paleo, too. But be careful! They are so yummy you will want to eat them all.

Tips:

Soak the dates in warm water to soften them and make them easier to mash or blend with the other ingredients

Coconut is great for your skin and your thyroid gland

The most calorie-heavy ingredient here is the chocolate – skip it for naked truffles and save almost 50% of the calories!

Set the dates to rest in warm water for 30 minutes. This softens them and it makes them more food processor friendly.

Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees.

In your food processor, mix the banana, and the softened dates. Add the coconut flakes and the coconut flour and the pinch of salt until well blended.

With a spatula, make sure everything is well blended. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

I used a small espresso spoon to spoon out a little bit of the batter at the time. Make 12 small little balls in your hands and carefully set them on the parchment paper.

Bake them for at least 20 minutes. You will know they are done when the bottoms are very golden and you start to smell the coconut in your kitchen! It’s ok if they are a little wet or uncooked inside. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.

In a microwave-safe container, melt the chocolate chips with the almond milk for one minute at 30% power. Remove and mix well until the chocolate is shiny. Drizzle the coconut balls to taste.

This is the skinniest version of a carrot cupcake with frosting you will find! The cake is paleo – no sugar, no grains, no gluten, no lactose. The sweetness comes from dates, and maple syrup. The frosting is hand whipped and made out only of coconut milk and vanilla. The cupcake is 200 calories, and the frosting 24 calories. Hello sweet health success!

I know we are in the middle of summer, but there’s something really evil going around the office this week: sore throats! About to face yet another tropical storm with a bunch of sick people, I turned to master nutritionist and perhaps the woman with the BEST vegan and gluten free recipes out there: Kimberly Snyder. She devised this amazing and super tasty thai coconut soup, which not only shows some TLC to your ill loved ones, but is also packed with beauty foods!

The recipe and many other great ones are featured in her new book: The Beauty Detox Foods and I am yet to make something we didn’t like. Some of our favorites include the Gorilla Taco Wraps, the Raw Coconut Macaroons and of course, her #1 beauty secret: the GSS or Glowing Green Smoothie.

The main ingredient for the Tom Kah Thai Coconut Soup is coconut milk, which is one of my favorites dairy replacers.

Did you know that…?

Coconut milk is packed with vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B4 and B6, as well as iron, selenium, magnesium and phosphorus, and antioxidants

Also rich in lauric acid, coconut milk may aid in riding the body of viruses, bacteria and other illnesses, reduce cholesterol, ad lower heart disease and stroke risks

Some of my new recipes with coconut milk and other coconut products include:

In a large pot, mix the coconut and almond milk, the green curry paste and the tamari. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and cover to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and the mushrooms. Cover again and cook for 10 minutes.

Turn off the stove and add the rest of the ingredients, stirring well. Serve and top with cilantro and a sliced lime.

Use a sifter for all the dry ingredients; combine in a bowl. In another bowl mix all the wet ingredients, inclusive of the flaxseed and the water. Add to dry ingredients and mix well till smooth. If the batter is not smooth, add a little bit more water. It should be denser than normal pancakes.

In a large pan on medium heat, use coconut oil or PAM and lightly coat it. Cook each pancake around 2 minutes on each side. Do not pile up after cooked or they will get soggy. Enjoy alone or with your favorite toppings!

I assume you have your vanilla cakes ready to go. I made them the night before as I didn’t want to be in the kitchen for more than 1 hour at a time!

Start with the filling. Cream in high speed the butter and the sugar with a mixer. About 2 minutes. Add the GF flour, the condensed milk hack, and vanilla. Mix in medium until well blended. Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Next, tackle the frosting. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and half the sugar, a drop of milk and the vanilla. Beat on medium to high speed until creamy (around 3 minutes). Gradually add more sugar, a little bit more of the milk, and so forth. Until you get the right consistency. As we will use 3/4 of the frosting unpiped, I recommend keeping it slightly on the creamy side.

Now, you are ready for the most fun part: assembly. Get your cake plate ready. Set one of the first cakes. Spoon in and frost with the buttercream filling (use 1/3 of it). Set aside. Get the cookie dough filling out of the refrigerator and create tiny cookie dough balls. Very tiny ones. Set on top of the frosting until you cover it completely. Set aside.Get the second cake. Turn it upside down on another plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting. Flip and sandwich in the cookie dough balls in between the two frosted sides of the cake. Press lightly. Save some frosting for decoration (fill a piping bag). The rest, drop it onto the cake, and spread evenly to cover the whole cake.

Pipe the remainder frosting to decorate. I crumbled home-made chocolate chip cookies for the sides, and dropped a lot of chocolate chips in the center.

Wow friends and families with this Gluten Free Cookie Dough Cake. The vanilla cake and sweet vanilla buttercream are just the base for the richness and sweetness of the chocolate chip cookie dough filling and the just-baked, chocolate chip cookie crumble.

Did it take a lot of prep and many hours in the kitchen? YES. Is it my not so best “skinny” recipe? YES. Is it worth every single calorie if you like (love) cookie dough? YES.

I made this cake for a dear friend who is not gluten intolerant, but gave me the challenge of not liking chocolate all that much. Arg. Dagger through my chest. With a bunch of people over for the 4th of July BBQ, too, how was I to wow my guests with a vanilla “thing”? Don’t get me wrong, Magnolia Bakery elevated the vanilla and vanilla prestige with their amazing, rich and simple signature cupcakes. But I’m not Magnolia Bakery! And I have to bake gluten free…which is most of the time cleverly masked with massive amounts of delicious chocolate.

This recipe is a the result of an afternoon of research – a thing from here, a thing from there. I spent so much time in the prep, that by the time I was ready to take the pictures…there was not such a time! So I apologize for the Iphone photos on this post. I was just so looking forward to sharing this with you!

The net-net – guests were in awe. Many didn’t believe the frosting was whipped right in my kitchen, while others were marveled at the eggless (therefore eatable) raw cookie dough filling…and that was just the second wave of compliments right after they learned it was all GLUTEN FREE…and almost LACTOSE FREE (you can do it 100% lactose free by replacing the butter for your favorite shortening). Ah, the possibilities of an afternoon in front of Google.

Ok. So here it is. A great birthday or special occasion cake for all those vanilla lovers out there! Happy belated 4th of July, too.

I assume you have your vanilla cakes ready to go. I made them the night before as I didn’t want to be in the kitchen for more than 1 hour at a time!

Start with the filling. Cream in high speed the butter and the sugar with a mixer. About 2 minutes. Add the GF flour, the condensed milk hack, and vanilla. Mix in medium until well blended. Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Next, tackle the frosting. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and half the sugar, a drop of milk and the vanilla. Beat on medium to high speed until creamy (around 3 minutes). Gradually add more sugar, a little bit more of the milk, and so forth. Until you get the right consistency. As we will use 3/4 of the frosting unpiped, I recommend keeping it slightly on the creamy side.

Now, you are ready for the most fun part: assembly. Get your cake plate ready. Set one of the first cakes. Spoon in and frost with the buttercream filling (use 1/3 of it). Set aside. Get the cookie dough filling out of the refrigerator and create tiny cookie dough balls. Very tiny ones. Set on top of the frosting until you cover it completely. Set aside.

Get the second cake. Turn it upside down on another plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting. Flip and sandwich in the cookie dough balls in between the two frosted sides of the cake. Press lightly. Save some frosting for decoration (fill a piping bag). The rest, drop it onto the cake, and spread evenly to cover the whole cake.

Pipe the remainder frosting to decorate. I crumbled home-made chocolate chip cookies for the sides, and dropped a lot of chocolate chips in the center.

Refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Eat! (As demonstrated by my friends Nicole and Khiel, below. Who are not gluten intolerant but loved it all the same! Thank you guys!)